no great expenditure of intellect in their selection. | position-when she raises herself from your shoulOccasionally, at about half-mile distances, you raise der, and gently, but resolutely unlocks your arm her passive hand, which is clasped in yours, and press from her waist, and becomes sedate and rational, it to your lips. All this is light work, and agreeable then it is that the real difficulty of a long midnight enough; but when the dear fair one has got over the tête-à-tête journey begins to be felt, especially if you first tumult of her feelings-when her alarm gives have any under-current of feelings of your own, way to the subdued and calm appreciation of her which you deem it prudent to keep to yourself." AMUSEMENTS OF THE MONTH. DRURY-LANE. The Daughter of St. Mark, by far the most magnificent opera which has been produced for many years, and which contains some of the sweetest songs Balfe ever composed, or Bunn wrote, has held its triumphant course through the whole month. It bids fair to rival The Bohemian Girl in the number of its representations. In addition to this, we have had Der Freitschutz, Gustavus the Third, Clari, Robert Le Diable, The Bohemian Girl, &c. In all the characters he undertakes, Mr. Harrison acquits himself with that peculiar sweetness, which makes him the first tenor of the day. We have never enjoyed a more rich musical treat than "We may be happy yet," a song which everybody who has any taste for sweet sounds should hasten to hear. Donald W. King is, we are sure, destined to hold a very high rank in his profession; we like him more and more, the oftener we witness his performances. We have already expressed our high opinion of his deserts, which was still more enhanced when we some days back heard him in Der Freitschutz, and in Robert Le Diable. The Danaides is an extraordinary ballet; its closing scene is of the Der Freitschutz incantation character, and a most remarkable and striking scene it is. We do not think the ballet a happy effect it has too much of pantomime and too little of dancing; but this scene makes up for all. It is admirably contrived, and as a piece of diablerie is unrivalled. Upon the whole, however, the entertainments of this theatre are of a very high order. Nowhere can the public enjoy so rich a musical treat. The singers, too, are English, and of the first order of talent; Harrison, King, Burdini, Borrani, Weiss are very attractive names; while Miss Rainforth, Miss Romer, and Miss Poole among the ladies, is each, of herself, a host. COVENT GARDEN. Antigone, a very unsuccessful play called Honesty, with various plays of Shakespeare, have drawn very good houses to this theatre; Mr. Henry Betty as Othello, Mr. Vandenhoff as Iago, and Miss Vandenhoff as Desdemona, drew a crowded assemblage. The Othello, like every other effort of Mr. Betty's, was a failure. This gentleman, when he adopted the stage as a profession, decidedly mistook his vocation, Mr. Vandenhoff's Iago was admirable, as was also Miss Vandenhoff's Desdemona. HAYMARKET. There has been no change here, though several novelties are announced as about to be produced. THE LYCEUM. A lively two-act play, entitled Taking Possession, a farce called The Marriage Certificate, with The Model of a Wife, and Valentine and Orson, have drawn full houses to this popular theatre. The Keeleys are, as ever, inimitable. THE PRINCESS's. A brilliant series of dramas, in the style of Don Cæser de Bazan, have been succeeded by tragedy. Miss Cushman in Fazio; Forrest, Graham, and Miss Cushman in Othello, have drawn crowded houses. This lady is an American actress, of very great promise indeed; and will, we have no doubt, attain a very high rank in her profession. She is impressive, natural, and effective; her appearance is much in her favour, and her mode of delivery very happy. As Desdemona her success was complete. Forrest, her countryman, cannot claim equal praise. Tragedy is not his line; massive, huge, and striking in frame, he is admirably suited to a melo-dramatic performance of the character of Spartacus; but his giant's whisper, his roaring, his stalking manner, are utterly unimpressive in Othello. Neither can we praise Mr. Graham's Iago. He is a low comedy knave, not the consummate villain of Shakspeare; while he has a peculiar clap-trap style, which is far from pleasing. His new reading of the last act of Othello, where, like some domestic tragedy ghost, he turns round and points to his victims, as much as to say, "Behold what a pretty mess I have made here!" is peculiarly unhappy. ADELPHI. A most effective drama, full of bustle, startling incident and activity, entitled The Green Bushes, has had a very long run at this theatre. It is well worth being seen. SADLER'S WELLS. This admirable little theatre continues its triumphant career of success. This is not to be wondered at; Mrs. Warner and Mr. Phelps are, in themselves, a perfect host. The latter ad mirable tragedian has appeared in Richard the Third with a degree of success which can only be compared to that of old Kean in the same part; while Mrs. Warner may, with equal justice, be considered the modern Siddons. Undoubtedly she is one of the best tragic actresses on the stage, not inferior to Rachel, where youth and foreign extraction were very strong elements in favour of her success. Hamlet and Othello have also been played, but the truly magnificent manner in which Richard is placed upon the boards surpasses even the production of King John. The Bridal, too, has been played with continued success. No one who loves the legitimate and sterling drama, sustained to perfection-who enjoys tragedy or comedy with a cast which no other theatre can at present show, should be without paying a visit to this theatre. It will well repay their time and expense. Of The Priest's Daughter, recently produced here, we cannot speak so highly as we could wish; but still our condemnation will neither be so sweeping nor indiscriminate as that given by certain hasty critics. It is a good play, but containing many improbabilities; and being very unequal in style, its success was but moderate. We by no means, however, discourage the author from making another trial, satisfied as we are that a second will be an improvement; the characters, however were most admirably supported. MADAME TUSSAUD AND SONS' EX HIBITION. Although this extraordinary collection has been so long before the public, its intrinsic qualities and the diligent care with which the proprietors make numerous and frequent additions, render it as much a point of attraction as ever; and now that the season is approaching when London will be filled with country visitors, we can predict that few will quit the metropolis without gratifying their curiosity in Bakerstreet. To our taste-notwithstanding the costly The new Panorama, which exhibits a view of the bay and city of Naples, may be considered one of the most successful yet produced under the surveillance of Mr. Burford. The view was taken more than twenty years ago, when Mount Vesuvius had a terrific eruption; and the artist, with a good idea of effect, has exhibited the marked contrast between the lurid light thrown on Naples by the volcanic flames, and the beauty of a sky, "deeply, darkly, beautifully blue," in which are seen "Those silent stars, that wink and listen, While Heaven's eternal melodies roll." Much more than mountain and city are delineated. The bay of Naples and the surrounding shores are also exhibited, and most artistic is the manner in which the aerial distances are managed. Crowds of visitors are, after all, the best criticism on things of this sort, and Mr. Burford has that to his heart's content. The Panorama of Baden-Baden and Hong Kong are also open; the latter, which cannot be viewed without great interest, from recent political events, is to close very soon. FASHIONS FOR MARCH. Rue du Faubourg St. Honoré, à Paris, February, 23. Lent seems to have made little, if any, change in the amusements of the beau monde. The public promenades are thronged in the morning, and balls and parties go on as usual in the evening; never, indeed, were the latter more brilliant than at present. But before I speak of them, I must just glance at the public promenades. Since the commencement of Lent, black has been more in favour than ever; out of ten robes or redingotes, eight at least are of black satin or velvet; if the dress is of the former, the trimming is generally of velvet. Robes are for the most part made quite high, the corsage tight to the shape, and a little pointed; it is trimmed with a revers of black velvet, descending both before and behind. Tight sleeves, either quite long or else rather more than a three-quarter length, and in either case finished with a velvet cuff. A new style of trimming has been adopted for the skirts of these dresses: it is composed of narrow velvet ribbon, disposed in compart ments somewhat resembling the shape of a wheel, and reaching nearly as high as the knee. If the redingote form is adopted, whether it is of satin or velvet, the trimming must be passementerie, or sable fur; but I do not see that there is any novelty either in the make or gar niture of these dresses. The mantelels russe of sable continue their vogue both in carriage and promenade dress. We see some of ermine in the former; but they are not in a majority. There is little change as regards mantles, paletots, &c.; but I think velvet mantelets-écharpes, lined with white satin and well wadded, have increased in favour; they are made very large, and always with a deep volant encircling the back, so that in fact they are nearly as warm as a mantle; their trimming is generally dentelle de velours. | very successfully imitated by our manufacturers; but of course at very high prices. The same may be said of the fashionable bijouterie which dates from the same period; so that it requires a large fortune to keep pace with the demands of la mode. There has not been any farther diminution in the width of skirts since I wrote last; nor do I think it is likely there will be for some time to come. Almost all evening robes, with the exception of those for ball dress, are made with demi trains; but although there has been a great deal said about bringing in trains, Velvet continues its vogue both for chapeaux none have yet appeared, and certainly now they and capotes; but I have observed that satin has will not be adopted this year at least. Robes of increased in favour for the former during the damask, brocade, velvet, &c., &c., are almost inlast month: a good many are of black satin for variably trimmed with lace, placed either in échelle plain walking-dress; they are simply trimmed on the front of the skirt, or in two mentants on with ribbon, and a veilette of black lace; others each side, divided by a tuft of ribbon, or a row of coloured satin are trimmed with a velvet biais, of knots of the pompon form. Shot silks, and a black lace chou, from which an end of though of a less rich kind, are also fashionable, velvet floats in the lappet style on one side. particularly the new taffetas d'Italie; they are Lace has lost nothing of its vogue for the trim-adopted equally in evening and ball dress. In mings of capotes; but it is not so extensively employed in the garnitures of chapeaux as it was a short time ago. The mode of lining black or dark-coloured velvet chapeaux with satin of a rich full hue, principally different shades of red, gains ground. The feathers or flowers that decorate these chapeaux are always shaded in | the colour of the lining; feathers are now decidedly in a majority. The materials of half-dress robes are still the same as when I wrote last; but I think velvet is not so much in vogue as it was: this is, I think, owing in some degree to velvet being lately manufactured at lower prices than it was a few years ago. However, though these robes are not so numerous, they are, if of a very good kind, still as recherché as ever, particularly the robes amazines, buttoned from the top of the corsage to the bottom of the skirt, with small gold or silver buttons. The sleeves are made tight, and nearly but not quite long, merely showing the single bouillon that terminates the cambric or muslin under-sleeve; that of the robe is usually ornamented with buttons, corresponding with those on the front of the dress; they extend from the bottom of the sleeve to the elbow. Satin redingotes, both black and coloured, are also a good deal in favour; the corsages are made high, and trimmed with a plaiting of ribbon, the plates reversed; the sleeves are tight, open at the bottom, with narrow cuffs, edged with ribbon. Flounces are the garnitures most in favour for dresses of the robe form: I mean those of silk or cashmere; for flounces, except of black lace, are rarely seen on satin dresses. If the flounces are of the material of the robe, there are generally two cut in deep round dents, and edged with effilé, or else the flounce is not scalloped, but bordered with three rows of narrow velvet ribbon. Evening costume, and especially ball dress, has now reached its highest point of elegance. In reviving to a certain degree the modes of the Louis Quatorze day, the damasks, brocades, &c., &c., that were then in vogue, have been the former a good many are trimmed with lace flounces of different widths; the lower one is very deep, the next a little narrower, thus each of the five or six that compose the trimming diminishes a little in width; these garnitures rise very high on the skirt, and are usually headed by ribbon disposed either in a wreath of coques, or a chicorée; the corsage is decorated with several rows of lace disposed en revers, or else with an open berthe, or a mantille en application d'Angleterre. The sleeve is also finished with lace, but it is so very short that scarcely any of it except the lace is visible. A good many robes of an elegant, but quiet kind, are composed of black satin; the corsages are made very low, and trimmed with black velvet berthes, embroidered in soutache, in such an exquisitely delicate style that the work seems to be composed of the patterns of Gothic lace; the short sleeve is similarly decorated, but the skirts have no trimming. There is quite a rage for turbans; they are adopted even in dancing dress, but for that they are always made in light materials. I must observe that these may be equally worn for soirées and balls; but those especially designed for the former may be, and frequently are, composed of velvet, velours épinglé, and Cashmere. I may cite among the most remarkable of the first, the fancy turbans of crimson and violet velvet; the trimming consists of a single long and very full white ostrich feather, drooping on one side. Several Moorish turbans, with the folds traversed by chefs d'or, are also composed of velor Cashmere; velours épinglé and velvet are employed for the Jewish form. Those called turbans Algeriens, which are certainly more in vogue than any other, are always composed of rich gauzes of vivid colours, mingled with gold or silver. Some of the most recherché are of gaze Cachemire, striped in broad blue and silver stripes: the scarf end is terminated by a rich fringe of a novel description. Others are composed of gauze scarfs, in rich Oriental patterns, intermingled with gold. Coiffures mar vet |